Gravity projected ball game with manually maneuverable target opening

ABSTRACT

A game device of the type including a chute-like element for launching a ball-like missile into a path of flight and a selectively closable aperture for receiving a ball-like missile, characterized by the provision of a masking means at the upper or depositing end of the chute-like element and the provision of missiles of different color, whereby a player manipulating the closable aperture may request the launching of the missile of a certain color and will be unable to determine such color until shortly before, or at the time that the missile is launched out of the end of the chute.

United States Patent Barlow 51 Mar. 14, 1972 [54] GRAVITY PROJECTED BALL GAME WITH MANUALLY MANEUVERABLE TARGET OPENING [72] Inventor: Gordon A. Barlow, Evanston, Ind.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Gliss & Associates [22] Filed: Feb. 24, 1970 [21] Appl. No; 13,495

[52] US. Cl. ..273/101, 273/l R, 273/105 R [51] Int. Cl. ..A63l 7/02 [58] Field of Search ..273/l R, 95 R, 101 120 R,

273/127 R, 127 D, 105 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,224,730 12/1940 Hess ..273/l27 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 17,247 12/1929 Australia ..273/l 20 R Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [57] ABSTRACT A game device of the type including a chute-like element for launching a ball-like missile into a path of flight and a selectively closable aperture for receiving a ball-like missile, characterized by the provision of a masking means at the upper or depositing end of the chute-like element and the provision of missiles of different color, whereby a player manipulating the closable aperture may request the launching of the missile of a certain color and will be unable to determine such color until shortly before, or at the time that the missile is launched out of the end of the chute.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures GRAVITY PROJECTED BALL GAME WITH MANUALLY MANEUVERABLE TARGET OPENING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to toy and game devices.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Generally speaking, there are many forms of toys and games involving a timing relationship between a thrown, launched or pendulum swinging projectile, missile or ball element and another element which may attempt to intercept, control or catch the first moving element. Such games, toys and the like usually require the exercise of coordinated skills of visual perception and accompanying physical manipulation of other elements and accordingly have the desirable attributes of sharpening the skills of the participants. Thus, there is a continuing desire in the art for the provision of such toys and games, particularly those which may be enjoyed by participants of diverse age groups, and it is to the satisfaction of this continuing desire that the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to the provision of an improved toy or game device of the type involving the interception or rejection of a thrown or launched projectile or missile.

The best mode currently contemplated by me for carrying out the invention includes the provision of a substantially closed launching chute, the upper end of which is provided with a masking screen so as to hide from view the particular missile or projectile being inserted into the closed launching chute. Spaced opposite the open end of the launching end of the chute is a projectile or missile receptacle in the normal path of trajectory, and a closable cover is provided therefor. The intended projectiles or missiles are preferably in the shape of marble or ball elements and are of different colors. A player manipulating the cover to the receptacle or aperture may call for the launching of a missile or projectile of a particular color. The other participant may then select a missile or projectile of any color and deposit it into the substantially closed launching chute, and in the brief period of time in which the missile is launched out of the open end of the chute into a path of flight towards the receptacle, the player manipulating the door to the receptacle must decide if the launched missile is the color called for and must control the door accordingly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. I is a perspective view of the game or toy apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section view of the toy or game apparatus of this invention; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the hinge mechanism associated with the closable cover for the missile aperture or receptacle.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the game or toy of this invention includes a generally flat base member 12 and upstanding opposed side walls 14 and 16 and upstanding opposed end walls 18 and 20.

Medially of the end wall 18 there is provided a socket 22 for receiving a reduced pin-like end 24 of standard or upright 26. Upright 26 also has a reduced pin-like end 28 on the upper end thereof which is intended to be received in the depending socket portion 30 of chute or launching means 32.

Chute means 32 is preferably a box-like substantially closed chute having upper and lower walls 34 and 36 and opposed side walls 38 and 40. The chute means extends from an upper end 42 spaced well above-or vertically offset from the end wall 18 to a lower or launching end 44 remote from the upper end and closely spaced above a medial portion of base 12. The lower end of chute 44 terminates in an open end 46, distal relative to the open infeed end 48 of the chute. Lower wall 36 comprises a projectile launching surface extending from an elevated infeed end to a lower outfeed end for gravity launching of a missile or projectile. A stub 50 depends from lower wall 36 near the lower end 44 and is provided with a socket opening 52 for receiving an upstanding pin 54 associated with the base 12 to assist in mounting the chute means 32 relative to the base 12. A masking means, shroud, screen or the like 56, is positioned about the upper infeed opening 48 at the upper end 42 of chute means 32 to generally mask from view activity adjacent the infeed opening 48.

The upper wall portion 34 of chute 32 may be provided with a partial opening 58 therein and a movable cover 60 guided in track-like means 62a and 62b for selectively opening or closing portions of the partial opening 58 adjacent end 44.

The portion of the base 12 opposite the chute means 32 is provided with a box-like receptacle or aperture 64 for receiving missile-like elements or projectiles launched out of the open end 46 of chute means 32. It is intended that the receptacle or aperture means 64 would be positioned in the normal terminus of the path of flight of an object launched outwardly from the chute means 32. Spaced walls 64a and 64b of the receptacle 64 are slotted at the rear ends thereof, as shown at 66, for receiving a cross-spanning rod 68 which is connected at the rear end of a cover means 70 of a size and shape to cover the receptacle 64. Rod 68 is also nestably received within slot 72 in portions of side walls 14 and 16 in alignment with the slots 66 in the receptacle side walls 64a and 64b. If desired, opposite ends of the rod 68 may be provided with ball-like enlargements 74a and 74b to provide a convenient means for grasping the same and controlling the movement of the lid or cover 70 with respect to the aperture or receptacle 64 to move the same between a closed position covering the receptacle and an open position permitting access to the receptacle.

Intermediate the receptacle 64 and launching means 32 I there is provided a generally central storage area defined by the offset planar surface 76 and the generally circular cylindrical depression 78 which may be open at the bottom thereof. The area defined by the opening 78 may be utilized to store projectiles or missiles for future use or may be utilized to deposit such projectiles or missiles which have been incorrectly selected for reception into the receptacle 64 as will be explained later. In this same general intermediate area, there is provided, on the top of walls 14 and 16, a scoring means in the form of a shelf-like area 80a and 8012, each of which is provided with several apertures or openings 81a and 81b for receiving peg-like markers 82a and 82b to provide a means for keeping score. A plurality of missiles or projectiles such as the ball-like elements or marbles 84 are provided for selective feeding down the open end 48 of the normally closed chute 32 for launching out of the open end 46 thereof. It is preferred that the several marbles or the like 84 are to be of at least two different colors. To play the game, one player who manipulates the opening and closing of cover 70 for aperture 64 elects to catch only one of the colors of the missiles or marbles 84 to be launched, and the other player who is depositing the same down the open end of chute 32 will feed the marbles, one by one, into the chute in any order he chooses. As the marble or element 84 is launched out of the open end 46 of the chute 32, the player manipulating the cover 70 for receptacle 64 has only a limited period of time to decide if the element 84 is the same color as the one he called for, and in this limited period of time, he must close the cover 70 if he decides that the element 84 is not of the desired color, or leave the cover open if he decides that it is the desired color. In either event, no point is received if the player manipulating cover 70 fails to trap an elected color of marble in receptacle 64, and a point is awarded for a correct decision and corresponding movement of cover 70 to trap the right marble. A modification of the scoring system would include that the opponent feeding the marbles into chute 32 could get a point for an incorrect decision on the part of the player manipulating cover 70.

The movable cover 60 on the chute provides a means for increasing or limiting the amount of visual exposure of the element launched down the closed chute 32. If the cover 60 completely encloses the opening 58in the chute, the only observation of the launched element 84 is for that limited period of time after its exit through the open end 46. However, the difficulty of the game can be eased by moving the cover 60 upwardly of the chute means 32. so that the opening 58 affords some visual observation of the moving element 84 prior to its exit out the open end 46 of the chute means.

Thus, the toy or game of this invention provides a unique game involving skills of visual perception and timing. The game is simple enough to be enjoyed by persons of diverse age groups and to be easily and quickly understood. In addition, the simple post and socket arrangement for the elevated components thereof makes it easily assembled by the users of the game, and also easily disassembled for convenient storage thereof.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A projectile interception game comprising: means defining a base; a projectile launching member connected to the base and having a projectile launching surface originating in an elevated infeed end and terminating in a relatively lowered outfeed launching end disposed above said base; means substantially enclosing the projectile launching surface from view; projectile receiving means spaced from the launching end of the launching member in a position to normally receive a projectile launched through the air by said launching member, a plurality of projectile elements of different viewable chameteristics, and interdiction means associated with the projectile receiving means for selectively and manually preventing access of a launched projectile to the receiving means.

2. The game of claim 1 wherein the launching member further includes a masking element about the infeed end thereof.

3. The game of claim 1 wherein the chute-like member is generally enclosed but includes a top opening therein with a closable cover for the opening for selectively increasing or eliminating the view to the interior of the chute.

4. The game of claim 3 wherein the projectile receiving means includes a receptacle-like member and the interdiction means includes a movable cover associated therewith.

5. A projectile interception game comprising: means defining a base having opposite ends; a substantially enclosed chute extending above the base near one end thereof and originating in an elevated infeed end and terminating in a relatively lower launching end vertically adjacent the base; the upper wall of said chute having an opening therein and cover means for the opening to selectively increase or decrease the visual observation of the projectile launched by the chute; a plurality of projectile elements of a size and shape to be received in, and launched by the chute, the projectile elements having different viewable characteristics; and a projectile receiving means spaced from the launching end of the chute in the path of travel of a projectile launched therefrom with a cover movably connected to the receiving means for selectively opening and closing the receiving means for acceptance or rejection of a projectile launched outwardly from the chute. 

1. A projectile interception game comprising: means defining a base; a projectile launching member connected to the base and having a projectile launching surface originating in an elevated infeed end and terminating in a relatively lowered outfeed launching end disposed above said base; means substantially enclosing the projectile launching surface from view; projectile receiving means spaced from the launching end of the launching member in a position to normally receive a projectile launched through the air by said launching member, a plurality of projectile elements of different viewable characteristics, and interdiction means associated with the projectile receiving means for selectively and manually preventing access of a launched projectile to the receiving means.
 2. The game of claim 1 wherein the launching member further includes a masking element about the infeed end thereof.
 3. The game of claim 1 wherein the chute-like member is generally enclosed but includes a top opening therein with a closable cover for the opening for selectively increasing or eliminating the view to the inteRior of the chute.
 4. The game of claim 3 wherein the projectile receiving means includes a receptacle-like member and the interdiction means includes a movable cover associated therewith.
 5. A projectile interception game comprising: means defining a base having opposite ends; a substantially enclosed chute extending above the base near one end thereof and originating in an elevated infeed end and terminating in a relatively lower launching end vertically adjacent the base; the upper wall of said chute having an opening therein and cover means for the opening to selectively increase or decrease the visual observation of the projectile launched by the chute; a plurality of projectile elements of a size and shape to be received in, and launched by the chute, the projectile elements having different viewable characteristics; and a projectile receiving means spaced from the launching end of the chute in the path of travel of a projectile launched therefrom with a cover movably connected to the receiving means for selectively opening and closing the receiving means for acceptance or rejection of a projectile launched outwardly from the chute. 